Charting and teaching dance steps



J. F. Mom-INE 2,913,835

CHARTING AND TEACHING DANCE STEPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Flg 3 m 1 .1 4M 4 n. 1 9 2 +l n fm MJI++++++++| 5 m 130 3 I++++++++| Nov. 24, 1959 Filed Nov. 19, 1956 #i #i J2 JOSE/DH' i7 MNTf/E' Trag/:fly

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NW- 24, 1959 J. F. MoNTlNE 2,913,835

CHARTING AND TEACHING DANCE STEPS Filed Nov. 19, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR United States Patent O 2,913,835 A CHARTING AND TEACHING DANCE STEPS Joseph F. Montine, Brooklyn, N. Y.` Application November 19, 1956, Serial No. 623,187 4 claims'. (CL .as- 29) The present invention deals with apparatus for double charting dance steps, primarily for teaching purposes and is concerned with method and means for actually recording the steps of an original exponent to form charts which are prepared from and based uponsuch recordings.

This application is a continuation in part of, and incorporates, the application filed by Joseph F. Montine, Serial No. 397,374, filed December 10, 1953, and entitled Recording and Teaching Dance Steps, which in turn was a continuation in part of the application tiled by Joseph F. Montine, Serial No. 319,452, filed November 8, 1952, and entitled Method and Means for Recording and illustrating Dance Movements, which in turn was a continuation in part of the application filed by .Toseph F. Montine, Serial No. 783,394, filed October 31, 1947 all of which applications are now abandoned.

My copending application for patent, f Serial No. 618,631, led October 26, 1956, now abandoned, relates to an indexing means. Serial No. 733,154,` filed May 5, 1958, relates to a Multi-Frame Strip Film Viewer.

The strip lm viewer described in Serial Number 733,154 is adapted for use in following movement with the film at rest. Because of these characteristics, charts, intructions and the like may be indicated lon film together with stages in the performance thereof.

The prime object of the' present invention is to utilize apparatus for doublel charting position, direction, and line of foot movement as performed upon Aa photographic chart through the medium of a motion-picture taking film, and which photographic chart consists of outlined cross-indexed sections and which sections are subdivided by intersecting bands whereby Asuccessive frames of the said motion-picture lm will indicate a series of stages in the said movement and the .exact location of each stage in connection with the said photographic chart.

Having spent the greater part of their lives in their chosen profession, artistsfhave created vand carried on to near perfection, certain dance technique. The time has now arrived when much of such material might be captured and presented in available form for use in teaching.

Clear and direct, visual instruction in proper form is accepted thru the mental process relating to thought, whereas an abstruse statement, or conception remote from the usual course of thought is rejected.

A jumble of successive stages that include many varied forms of ever changing distortion, motion-pictures have failed as an educational medium only because of the lack of an adequate working pattern together with proper presentation.

Step number l includes having an exponentV or performer execute a series of dance steps on a photographic chart, and in photographing the said steps on a motionpicture taking lm to include certain cross-indexed sections of said photographic chart thereby recording posi? tion, direction, and line of foot movement performed in connection with the said photographic chart upon successive frames of the said motion-picture film. Step number 2 includes reducing the said photographic chart to scale` with position, direction, and line of foot movement indicated by markers positioned in accordance with the charted positions recorded upon thesaid successive frames of motion-picture taking tlm.

Another highly important object of the present invention involves (a) reducing an original photographic chart ICC to scale to indicate position, direction, and line of foot movement thereon, as performed thereover, by means of foot markers; (b) a photographic film indicating an exponent performing a series of dance steps, and (c) an indexing medium incorporated in a and b whereby correlation is automatically indicated.

In recording a dance performance in accordance with the precepts of the present invention as many as several thousand photographs may be taken. In photographing an exponent performing upon a photographic chart a portion of that chart including certain cross-indexed sections are incorporated with the photographic image of the exponent upon each frame of motion-picture lm thereby accurately charting position, direction, and line of foot movement upon selected successive frames of. motion-picture film. A cross-indexed section in any chart contains twelve interdependent cross-sections, and matches a cross-indexed section in related charts having an identical indexing number.

In the method and means set forth, a photographic chart is employed. An exponent performs a series of steps upon the photographic chart and is photographed in conjunction with portions of the photographic chart, that includes certain cross-indexed sections, upon a motion-picture taking film. The frames of motion-picture iilm indicating position, direction, and line of foot movement upon certain selected indexed sections of the photographic chart are in completed form as photographed. The chart to scale is a reproduction of the photographic chart indicating position, direction, and line of foot movement, as originally performed thereover, by means of foot markers positioned in accordance with the original taking lm. In plotting steps, or points on a line of movement, taken from individual frames of motion-picture film, to a plan of the original chart to scale'by means of markers, such markers are correspondingly positioned in respect to corresponding cross-sections of a correspondingly indexed section.

The invention therefore comprises a methodof double charting a dance performance which includes the steps of preparing a chart that includes an indexed surface so as to accurately indicate position, direction, and line of foot movement, having an exponent perform a series of steps on said chart and at the same time photographing said dancing movements on a motion-picture lm. Printed charts are then prepared and these charts correspond to any desired frame of lm.

Figure l is a general view of a photographic chart as seen from an effective position to make it appear as a plan View, the chart being adapted to form a dancing area for the present purpose, only'a small portion at the upper left corner being shown in full detail with indexing or characteristic identifying means, while the rest of the chart merely shows numerals and intersecting lines as crosses indicating the extent of the individual sections of the chart.

Figure 2 is a photographic detailed fragmentary view taken on an enlarged scale of a portion of the chart shown in Figure l, and illustrating distortion compensating means in its make-up effective to render the chart as normal in appearance as feasible, when viewed from above at a low inclined angle.

Fig. 3 is an illustration of one frame of a film showing a performer or exponent performing upon a photographic chart in accordance with the precepts of this invention.

Figure 4 is a distortion compensated photographic reproduction of the portions of the photographic chart generally shown in a fragmentary form in conformity with the general showing of Figure l and the specic showing of Figure 2. i

Figure 5 is a slightly simplified fragmentary View of Patented Nov. 24, 1959 part of a chart partly shown in Figure 4, and useful in making charts to scale.

Figure 6 is a similar plan view of an outlined crossindexed chart section subdivided by intersecting lines resemblingFigures-2 and 4 and having foot positions indicated thereon `by footmarkers.

Figure 7 is a detailed plan view of a chart to scale similar to Figures and 6, and having position, direction, and line of foot movement indicated thereon by means of foot markers.

Figure 8 is a plan view similar to Figure 5 with the sectional outlines indicated by broken lines.

Figures 9, 10 and ll represent illustrations made from selected frames of motion-picture film.

'Figure l2 is a plan View showing how charts are made to indicate rhumba turns.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a chart indicating a waltz.

'Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, and rst, more particularly to Figures l and 2, a photographic chart adapted for use Ain double charting position, direction, and line of foot movement through the Vmedium of a motion-picture taking film is illustrated. An exponent of the dance such as 13 in Figure 3 performs a series of dance steps upon this chart. As the dance is being Icarried out it is photographed upon film 14 by one or more motion-picture cameras.

Figure 3 referred to illustrates one of a series of frames which are taken on the film and shows particularly the relation of the exponents feet to the indicia upon the chart. All charts, or parts thereof, consist of crossindexed sections with characteristic identifying indicia and that includes three rows and four columns of crosssections, as in Figure 8. The intersecting lines 10, and the open spaces indicated by the broken lines 39 mark the boundary lines between the cross-indexed sections on all charts. 26 is the index number of this chart scction meaning 2 and 6, its position is in the second row and the sixth column of indexed sections on any chart. A cross-indexed section of any chart contains twelve interdependent cross-sections, and matches a cross-indexed section in related charts having an identical number. These cross-sections are comparable with the time markings on the face of a clock and the performers feet have the same relation to the ycross-sections as do the hands of a clock with its face, so that any movement of the performers feet register a change in position with respect to the cross-sections.

Since a lm frame similar to that shown in Figure 3 representsa charter stage in a performance, in order to form a complete picture, successive stages may be shown upon a screen, either in the form of stills, or slow motion projection. A series of selected frames similar to Figures 9, 10 and ll may be reproduced in the form of a chart Vindicating a plurality of photo-prints for use in supplementing charts which indicate position, direction, and line of foot movement of a dance, similar to Figure 7.

The salient features of this invention revolve around an indexing means linking individual frames of a motionpicture film to charts thereby indicating physical performance of identical parts, and which indexing means functions automatically to indicate identical points upon identical charts of the character specied, or parts thereof, and which indexing means is recorded upon each frame of lm together with a physicalrstage in a performance, thereby linking the said stage with points upon an original chart adapted for photographic use, and which photographic chart is adapted for use as an indexing medium to be incorporated in part on each individual frame 'of a motion-picture taking film together with a stage in a'physical performance, and which photographic chart is adapted for use 'as a working pattern to indicate position, direction, and line of foot movement as incorporated and adapted therein from the original motion-picture positive film, and which working pattern conforms in part with each individual frame of the original motionpicture film for the purpose of indicating physical performance of identical parts, and which working pattern supplements the said motion-picture film with a more completely indexed overall Working pattern from the beginning to the end.

Referring now more specifically to Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings, in reproducing the original photographic chart to scale to include position, direction, and line of foot movement as originally performed thereover, a plan of said chart is drawn to scale similar to Figure 6. Position, direction, and line of foot movement are next transferred` from selected sequential frames of lm similar to Figure 3 to the chart illustrated in Figure 6. As an example, the left foot 12 of the exponent 33 is positioned on the cross-section in the third column of the third row of cross-sections on section numbered 13 in Figure 3. This position is now transferred to its corresponding cross-section 17 in Figure 6 and indicated by the marker 12. The right foot 11 of the exponent 33 is positioned on the cross-section in the 2nd column of the 3rd row on section 14 in Figure 3. This position is now transferred to its corresponding cross-section 18 in Figure 6 and indicated by the marker `11. Selected points preferably indicating steps on a line of movement are correspondingly transferred from the film to the chart.

Referring now to Figures 7V to l1 inclusive, a crossindexed section in any chart contains l2 interdependent sections as particularly shown in Figure S, and matches a cross-indexed section in related charts having an identical number. All charts, or parts thereof, consist of cross-indexed sections that include 3 rows and 4 columns of cross-sections like those shown in Figure 8. The intersecting lines virtually forming crosses 10, and the broken lines l39 mark the boundary lines between crossindexed sections on all charts. 26 is the indexing number of this chart section meaning 2 and 6 referenced 2 and 3. Its position is in the 2nd row of the 6th column of indexed sections on any chart. Therefore, the crossindexed related chart sections in Figures 9, l0 and 1l match correspondingly indexed chart sections in Figure 7. Figure 9 represents the gure in a single frame of motion-picture lm with the steps of the exponent indicated on section 25. Similar steps areV indicated by the markers 22 and 23 on section having number 25 in Figure 7. VFigure 10 indicates that the exponents right foot has moved forward along the line of movement 22-A to the A position indicated by the marker 24 in Figure 7. Figure 11 indicates that the exponents left foot has moved forward from the marker 23 to the A position indicated by the marker 25 while her right foot has pivoted from Vthe A position to the B position indicated by the marker ,24 in Figure 7. These 3 stages represented in Figures 9, 10 and ll relate to selected sequential stages consisting of steps. As noted, these several stages are spaced suiciently close together to well illustrate the accompanying body and limb movements without including the intervening stages between steps, thereby keeping the illustrations in a much more condensed form which is desirable from an educational standpoint. Since these illustrations were reproduced from a performance actually recorded it will be seen that charts similar to Figure '7 indicating position, direction, and line of foot movement are mainly useful in serving as overall working patterns upon which selected stages in performance are based. It will be seen that a chart could not be photographed as a plane surface while photographing the exponent in an upright position. Double charting serves a two-fold purpose. It provides a method and means for recording the originalsteps of an exponent, and. it provides an overall'working pattern upon which any selected Vstage'in a related performance represented by a frame of motion-picture film can be based,

In photographing detail upon a plane surface from a low angle, distortion and resulting loss of clarity are inevitable. The depth of tire lines and figures crossing the line of view are greatly diminished, and tend to close thereby making reproduction to a greatly reduced scale impractical. On the other hand, if the camera elevation is too great, distortion and lack of clarity will occur in the photographic images of the exponent. In order to avoid these inherent defects in part and to produce a photographic chart that can be employed in this particular form of illustration, a pattern similar to that shown in Figure 2 was devised.

Thus, the chart to be used for such photographic work must be a sort of compromise, which should virtually form the dancing area and be useful when photographed beneath the performer while at the same time photographing the performer in recognizable upright position, and the resulting photographic record plausible and readable on both counts.

Hence, in said Figure 2, it will be noted that all vertical lines 7, 7, and intermediate lines 7, 7 and 8, 8 of crosses 10, 10 are relatively thin and parallel and equidistantly spaced apart. The crosses 10, 10 define the corner boundaries of each section within which characteristic identifying indicia noted 2 and 3 are located between the parallel lines mentioned. These lines will naturally appear the same in width if viewed from above directly or from the near edge at a low angle of inclination. In contrast, all horizontal or lateral lines 6, 9, etc., are made relatively thicker and the indicia 2 and 3 elongated from top to bottom, while the gaps 4, 4 between the vertical lines are larger than gaps 5, 5 between lateral lines. The net result is that when this chart is viewed or photographed from above at a low inclined angle from the near edge, the ordinary foreshortening will be neutralized and the chart will appear more in normal proportion'as shown in Figure 4 and more fully in Figure 3.

It is to be noted that actually two types of chart may be included in the present invention, the one of the type just mentioned of Figures 2, 3 and 4, particularly to be used for charts forming dancing areas upon which a performer executes dance steps while recording such performances upon photographic film, and the other' type serving well as charts upon which the steps of the performance is plotted and thus recorded, being the type of chart best seen in the Figures 5 to 8 and 12 and 13. In each case, however, the same principles of indexing and use of characteristic indicia and line arrangement prevail, and distortion is overcome during filming.

Because of the rapid movements involved, a dance performance requires no less than twenty-four photographic images per second in order to properly record the successive stages therein. Otherwise the most wanted stages might be excluded from the completed film. Recording position, direction, and line of foot movement in connection with a photographic chart upon individual frames of film must be completed in a single photographic operation to form a completed picture. Since recording position, direction, and line of foot movement in connection with a photographic chart having an indexed surface is the prime objective, an equivalent could neither be constructed or accomplished through any series of photographic operations. Photographic distortion within the various frames of a motion-picture film is therefore now controlled by means of a photographic chart designed for photographic use, and in completing the picture in a single photographic operation. In constructing a chart to scale the original photographic chart is reproduced. Distortion is not involved therein. As noted, the recordings upon the frames of film must be accurate in order to plot such movements upon a chart to scale therefrom to correspond with the actual movements originally performed upon the photographic chart thereover.

Referring now again to Figures 1, 2 and 3, Figure 1 is a plan view of a photographic chart that includes outlined cross-indexed sections subdivided by intersecting bands similar to the detailed plan view illustrated in Figure 2. In performing a dance thereover that includes a series of stages taken on a series of frames of film, each stage is recorded in connection with a portion of the photographic chart through simultaneously photographing certain crossindexed sections of the photographic chart in conjunction with the exponent upon each frame of film to form a completed picture that includes recorded position, direction, and line of foot movement upon successive frames of film similar to the illustration in Figure 3.

While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinafter set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact steps and devices illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of charting the successive steps of a performer photographically upon a motion picture film, which consists in causing the performer to execute a series of dance steps upon a chart composed of a plurality of sections that include an integrated unitary indexing means, which sections include characteristic identifying indicia and an integrated compensating means comprising intersecting lines and indicia in which the portions parallel to the line of sight are of predetermined spacing and thickness while the lateral portions of the lines and indicia are of substantially greater thickness and spacing so as to be effective to counterbalance photographic distortion of said chart sections, and in simultaneously so photographing the performer executing the dance steps as to include selected sections of said chart.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the film charted dance steps are included upon a replica of the chart to scale.

3. The method of charting the successive steps of a performer upon a motion picture film, which consists in causing the performer to execute a series of dance steps upon a chart composed of a plurality of sections that include an integrated unitary indexing means, simultaneously so photographing the performer executing the dance steps as to include selected sections of said chart, and reproducing the chart to scale with step markers thereof indicating position, direction, and line of foot movement in accordance with the film charted steps.

4. The method of charting the successive steps of a performer upon a motion picture film, which consists in causing a performer to execute a series of dance steps upon a chart composed of a plurality of sections upon a sheet of material which include integrated unitary indexing means and are subdivided by intersecting bands, the indexing means including characteristic identifying indicia elongated parallel to the line of sight when viewing the chart from above at a low angle of inclination, and the intersecting bands being of predetermined width and spaced a predetermined distance apart in parallel with said line of sight but laterally being of relatively greater width and spaced a relatively greater distance apart across said line of sight to counteract foreshortening of the chart and cause the lines, spaces and characteristic identifying indicia in both intersecting positions to appear substantially equal from said line of sight, and in simultaneously so photographing the performer executing the dance steps as to include selected sections of said chart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,605,557 Van Deventer Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,522 Great Britain 1913 284,869 Great Britain Feb. 9, 1928 

